Beyond the Tien Shan and the Pamirs of Xinjiang lies a Central Asian country few Taiwanese have heard of: Kyrgyzstan. I chose to get to know its autumn in the most local way of all: on horseback.
This article was published in the first issue of the travel magazine La Listo.
The "little Switzerland of Central Asia", surrounded by mountains
More than 90% of Kyrgyzstan is mountains, and its highest peaks rise above 7,000 m. From the capital, Bishkek, a whole wall of towering snowy peaks stands right before your eyes.
The mountain road south to Osh, the second-largest city, twists and turns like a grander version of Taiwan's famous hairpin roads. The scenery along the way is as magnificent as the Andes, and you can even see glaciers. No wonder Kyrgyzstan is called the "little Switzerland of Central Asia".
The temperate continental climate, with four distinct seasons, makes autumn here especially romantic: whole mountainsides turn gold and orange-red, with conifers, birch and spruce woven together, like a painting in shades of color when seen from afar.
A bus full of Russian travelers, and me not understanding a word
With my Kyrgyz husband, Bek, I joined a local agency's one-day forest horse ride. The five Central Asian countries were once part of the Soviet Union; here the official languages are Kyrgyz and Russian, and English doesn't get you far.
Our guide was a lively university student and most of the travelers were Russian. Everyone played games on the bus and it was great fun, while I felt deeply how helpless it is not to speak the language.
Up on the horse, and off we go!
After more than two hours' drive we finally reached a mountain homestead, where more than twenty strong horses stood lined up waiting for us. After a short riding briefing, I swung up into the saddle: feet steady in the stirrups, back straight, reins held firmly, and off we went!
Into an Impressionist painting
We set off in a long line toward the snowy peaks. The hills rolled on endlessly and the views were wide; the green of summer had long given way to autumn gold. After an hour the trail began to frost over, and a deep breath of icy fresh air woke me right up.
The hooves stepped into a golden forest, sunlight filtering through the conifers, as if we'd walked into an Impressionist painting. The local guides helped us keep our direction, and even wrestled each other on horseback, which had our hearts in our mouths, though for them it was just everyday life.
A picnic in the snow
We'd brought our own food: classic Central Asian nan bread with fresh local walnuts. Autumn is harvest time for walnuts and apples, and the apples here look plain but are sweet, tart and juicy.
Sitting in the snow, looking out over endless autumn colors, I felt a peace and contentment like never before.
Going down was the real test
The way down was full of bumps; luckily we'd only had a light snack. After more than five hours on horseback, the insides of your thighs really do get rubbed raw! This ride showed me how physically demanding riding is: every muscle burned, and back home my back hurt so much that only a hot bath brought some relief.
My fifth ride, and finally a bit of swagger
This was already my fifth time riding, and my courage and experience had grown a lot since I started. I squeezed the horse's sides gently and called "chu chu" to make it speed up, my body moving naturally with its stride to the clip-clop of hooves. I felt so impressive!
A tip for beginners: galloping feels as thrilling as in the movies, but it takes plenty of practice, so beginners shouldn't try it lightly. For long rides, wear well-fitting, hard-wearing long trousers.
When is the best time to come?
May to October is the best time to visit Kyrgyzstan, when hiking and riding make for unforgettable memories:
- May, spring: the land comes back to life, with rolling green hills and wildflowers in bloom.
- July, summer: pleasant weather, and you'll meet herders' yurts and herds of cattle, horses and sheep.
- October, autumn: gold everywhere, like an autumn fairy tale.
In late autumn, every family starts pickling vegetables and making salads to store for winter, and I'm already looking forward to my next ride.
